Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
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Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
While certainly not a winter crop where I grew up in central Indiana, I've experimented here in central Arizona growing winter tomatoes. This year I put out six varieties in late October. Phoenix has averaged 10f degrees below our average this winter, with now 6 hard frosts, as my plants were nearly 7' tall I did not try to cover any of them. Figured it is what it is.
I'm harvesting several vine ripened a day currently, all from Wild Boar Farms. https://wildboarfarms.com/product-categ ... popularity
It's a tie between their Pink Berkley Tie Dye and the Black Beauty on production and taste during these cold months but I'm impressed with both.
I meticulously trim my plants and have trimmed of all to be 4 leaders and well supported.
I've no relation or support from the company, just am enjoying their products. Keep up the work WBF!
Video I took this afternoon after trimming some additional sun leaves and suckers...
I'm harvesting several vine ripened a day currently, all from Wild Boar Farms. https://wildboarfarms.com/product-categ ... popularity
It's a tie between their Pink Berkley Tie Dye and the Black Beauty on production and taste during these cold months but I'm impressed with both.
I meticulously trim my plants and have trimmed of all to be 4 leaders and well supported.
I've no relation or support from the company, just am enjoying their products. Keep up the work WBF!
Video I took this afternoon after trimming some additional sun leaves and suckers...
Phoenix AZ where gardens grow all year.
- bower
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Re: Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
Awesome that they survived those frosts with the bit of shelter from the eave. 

AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm
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Re: Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
Impressive!
Last edited by Mark_Thompson on Tue Feb 07, 2023 9:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Wet and windy side of a Hawaiian island, just living the dream
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Re: Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
Wow, great setup you've got there, the Pink Berkeley Tie Dye fruit looks so much better than what I got last year in my first attempt with that variety. I'm fairly new at this--what is with the selective bagging of the fruit? Also how can the plants (not to mention fruit) have survived 6 hard frosts??
- AZGardener
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Re: Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
Mine got bet pretty badly by the freeze. Black Cherry is one that usually does pretty well in Winter but this year not so much.
Good luck with yours, they look great.
Good luck with yours, they look great.
USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 13
Average Rainfall 9.5 inches
Climate: Sonoran Desert
Average Rainfall 9.5 inches
Climate: Sonoran Desert
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Re: Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
Trying a new method to keep mockingbirds from eating them when ripe and having great success with it I'll add. Not one bagged fruit has been hurt yet. Others have. The bags are super cheap and have worked great.
Phoenix AZ where gardens grow all year.
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Re: Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
That's a great tip that I'll keep in mind for when I have bird problems.
How were your plants/fruit able to make it through the hard frosts?
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Re: Best winter tomatoes (and tasting) I've recently found!
I lost a few sun leaves each time but overall little damage. I also started pruning all new flower sets to not stress them much. As of today I'll leave the new flowers and go back to daily electric tooth brush use on them.Setec Astronomy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 07, 2023 4:04 pmThat's a great tip that I'll keep in mind for when I have bird problems.
How were your plants/fruit able to make it through the hard frosts?
Phoenix AZ where gardens grow all year.